Electrical game of chance



Feb. 4, 1969 A. D'ONOFRJO 3,425,699

ELECTRICAL GAME OF CHANGE Filed Jan. 5, 1967 INVENTOR ANTHONY D'ONOFRIO BY I R- ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,425,699 ELECTRICAL GAME OF CHANCE Anthony DOnolrio, Overhill Road, West Hartford, Conn. 06117 Filed Jan. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 606,624 US. Cl. 273-141 Int. Cl. A631? 9/00; H0111 51/34 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an electrical game of chance characterized by a flashing light display and motor driven switches for serially illuminating lamps in the display incident to each play; more particularly it relates to motor control circuitry to assure that the time of motor energization will be entirely random and beyond control of a player.

Electrical games of chance are known to the art wherein a motor is employed to drive a rotary switch to serially light lamps in a display board. In these prior devices the motor remains energized at the will of a player and after energization momentum carries the switch. The disadvantages of such devices resides in the fact that a player may learn to judge how long to keep the motor energized to make a desired lamp be lit at the end of play. Another disadvantage of the prior art resides in the complexity of rotary switch constructions to assure that one and only one light will be lit after each play. Additional complexity and costs inherent in the prior art are the necessity for gear trains to reduce motor speeds to assure sufficient contact time for lamp illumination as the contact wiper is driven and the necessity for motors capable of generating sutficieut starting torque to overcome contact friction.

In accordance with the present invention a rotary switch is driven directly by amotor Whose speed is controlled through intermittent energization thus eliminating the necessity for gearing. The intermittent energization is elfected by a vibrating reed contact which is stressed when a player depresses a play button and which is released for free vibration upon release of the play button thus assuring that the operator cannot control the time of motor energization. A further feature of the invention resides in novel circuitry for assuring that at the end of play, one and only one lamp in the display will be lit.

An object of the invention is to provide a low cost easily manufactured electrical game of chance characterized by a flashing lamp display in which one and only one lamp will be lit at the end of each play.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of an electrical game of chance characterized by a light display wherein a player has no control over the time of energization of a motor for serially lighting the lamp.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with 3,425,699 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: 1

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of an electrical game of chance;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the circuitry for controlling lamp and motor energization; and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic view of the motor circuitry.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein is illustrated -a preferred embodiment there is shown in FIGURE 1 an electrical game of chance in accordance with the invention comprising a rectangular enclosure 10 having a top display panel 11 which is supported by and secured to corner blocks 12 (FIGURE 2) glued internally of the enclosure. As will hereinafter be made evident the top panel supports internally of the enclosure the power source, motor and associated circuitry to control the energization of lights .13 which are supported as by glue within holes 14 provided in the top panel. The top panel also supports an operator controlled rotary on-off switch control button 15 which when rotated to the on position causes the energization of one of the lights 13 on the top panel and conditions the motor circuit for energization upon depression and subsequent release of a play button 16 extending through the top panel and biased upwardly by a compression spring 17 between the panel and underside of the play button. The number and location of holes and lights as well as grid lines 18 drawn on the top panel will be dictated by the nature of the game to be played. Thus the 3 x 3 array illustrated to play e.g., a form or variation of tic-tac-toe is exemplary.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2 there is shown a post 19 glued or otherwise secured to and depending from the top panel which supports on its lowermost extremity a spring steel cradle generally designated by reference numeral 20 into which a power source in the form of a l /z-volt battery 22 may be snapped via an opening 21 in the bottom wall of the enclosure into circuit with the electrical wiring of the invention. The craldle comprises a spider-shaped bracket whose laterally extending legs 23 are spaced apart to receive the length of the battery and to which are secured rivets 24 which are insulated from the bracket by insulating wlashers 25. The top panel .11 also supports as by gluing or other suitable means spaced depending posts 26 for supporting a printed circuit board generally designated by reference numeral 27. The printed circuit comprises a plurality of isolated conductors or light pads 28 located along a circular path at equispaced radial increments corresponding in number to the number of electric lights 13 mounted in the top panel. Wires 29 are soldered to each of these conductors and to one terminal 30 of an associated light; the other terminals 31 of the electric lights being connected as by soldering to a common wire 32, preferably one of suflicient thickness and rigidity to aid in support ing the electric lamps within holes 14 in the top panel. The common wire 32 is connected as by a wire 33 to the negative or ground terminal of the battery 22. The printed circuit also comprises a common circular conductor 34 inwardly of the isolated conductors 28 and [having radial spokes or motor pads 35 extending therefrom and between the isolated conductors 28 for reasons which will hereinafter be apparent. The printed circuit panel 27 is provided with a centrally located hole through which the shaft 36 of a small DC. motor 37 extends and whose frame is secured as by glue or other suitable means to the underside of the printed circuit board 27. The upper end of the motor shaft 36 extending through the printed circuit board has secured thereto a low mass rotany contact wiper arm 39 which extends radially outwandly to wipe the circular path containing the isolated printed conductors 28 and the alternately disposed spokes 35 of the common printeid conductor 34. The lower shaft bushing of the motor has secured thereto as by soldering a conductive copper terminal strip 42 which is bent back on itself to resiliently press against the lower end of the motor shaft 36.

As shown in FIGURE 2 the positive terminal of the battery 22 is connected via a wire conductor 43 to a resilient flat copper strip 44 secured at one end as by stapling to the forward side of a top panel supported post 45 and extending leftwardly therefrom. Secured intermediate its ends to the opposite side of the post 45 and parallel to the first strip is another resilient fiat copper strip 46. The shank portion 47 of on-oif button 15 which is made from conductive material, and comprises the movable contact of the on-olf switch generally designated by reference numeral 48, extends between the strip 44 and the leftwardly extending end of strip 46; its diameter being larger than the spacing between the strips 44 and 46 thus to normally bridge the strips. The shank portion 47 may be bevelled fiat on one side 49 so that when turned to the off position it does not bridge the gap between strips 44 and 46. Alternatively a portion of the periphery of shank 47 may be painted with a long wearing insulating material to open the switch 48. The strip 46 is connected via a wire 50 to the terminal strip 42 whereby when the on-olf button 15 is turned to the on position current flows from battery 22 through wire 43, switch 48, wire 50, motor shaft 36, contact wiper 39, the light pad 28 beneath the wiper and through the associated electric light 13 to the negative battery terminal via conductors 32 and 33.

As viewed in FIGURE 2 one motor terminal 51 is connected to the negative battery terminal via wire 52. The other motor terminal 53 is adapted to be connected to the positive battery terminal through parallel circuit paths. One of the motor circuit paths is through the contact wiper 39, a motor pad 35, the common conductor 34 and a wire 54 which includes a section of positive temperature coefiicient resistance wire 55 for reasons which will hereinafter appear. The other motor circuit path is through the on-otf switch 48 and through a player operated motor control switch generally designated by reference numeral 56 which is operable to effect motor energization over intermittent decreasing intervals of time. One of the contacts 57 of the motor control switch 56, in the embodiment disclosed, comprises the rightwardly extending portion of the resilient fiat copper strip 46 secured to the post 45. The free end of the resilient cantilevered contact 57 supports a slug 58 or mass of ferrous material which is disposed below and forwardly offset from the lower end of the shank of the play button 16 whereon is supported a permanent magnet 59. Alternatively the shank of the play button may be made of ferrous material and the free end of the resilient contact 57 may support a permanent magnet of predetermined mass. When the play button 16 is depressed the mass is drawn forwardly under the influence of the permanent magnet into contact with the permanent magnet thereby flexing the cantilevered contact 57. Upon release of the play button 16 the energy stored in the flexed resilient contact 57 causes it to vibrate freely at a frequency determined by its spring constant and the mass 58. During its excursions to the right it makes contact with the depending free end of a second resilient cantilevered copper contact strip 61 which comprises the other contact of motor control switch 56; the strip 61 being anchored at its upper end to the top panel 11 or to a post depending therefrom. As the resilient contact 57 moves against the contact 61, the latter stores energy, returning this energy as the contact 57 oscillates away to the left from contact 61. As the vibrations are damped the intervals of contact between the resilient contacts 57 and 61 decrease until the amplitude of the vibratory excursions of the contacts 57 and 61 are insufiicient to bring them into contact. The resilient contact 61 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 is connected to motor terminal via Wire 62. Thus the motor will be energized intermittently over decreasing intervals of time in response to the make and break of the vibrating contacts 57 and 61. With the button 15 in the on position, and contacts 57 and 61 at rest, the motor is not energized and the contact wiper 39 will be on a light pad 28 thereby lighting a-light 13. Depression and release of the play button will set contacts 57 and 61 vibrating. During make intervals, which are never suflicient to permit the motor to come up to full speed, the motor will be energized. During break intervals, the motor will not be energized and the contact wiper will come to a perceptible stop on a light pad before the motor is re-energized. As the rotating wiper contact 39 is driven it comes in con-tact with light pads 28 and causes associated lamps 13 to light. When the wiper makes contact with a motor pad 35, which may or may not coincide with the make of the vibrating contacts 57 and 61, the motor is energized through wire 54. When the excursions of the vibrating contacts are no longer sufficient to make and close the motor circuit and it happens that the wiper comes to rest on a motorpad, the motor will be pulsed through wire 54 and move the wiper 39 to the next adjacent light pad 28. The spacing between motor and light pads and the span of the contact wiper is such that as the contact wiper 39 leaves a light pad it contacts a motor pad whereby the motor will be energized to move the wiper to the next light pad. This assures that one and only one light will be lit after each play.

The primary purpose of the resistance wire 55 is to limit the motor current to a value which assures that when the rotary contact wiper 39 comes to rest on a motor pad, contacts 57, 61 being'open, the torque generated by the motor will be suflicient to overcome contact friction and move the wiper to but not overrun the next light pad 28. The resistance value of the wire 55 therefore will be dictated by the required contact pressure. Further, in that the resistance of the wire 55 increases with temperature it also acts as a current regulator reducing the intervals of peak current drawn from the battery thus prolonging battery life.

It should be understood that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. A chance device comprising a direct current power source,

a plurality of spaced stationary contacts arranged in a circular array,

an electric light connected between each of said stationary contacts and one terminal of said power source,

a rotary contact adapted when driven to successively wipe across said stationary contacts,

a direct current electric motor having one terminal connected to said one terminal of said power source operable when its other terminal is connected to the other terminal of said power source to drive said rotary contact, and

circuit connections including an on-off switch operable to connect said other terminal of said power source to said rotary contact, and including a player operated motor control switch means operable to intermittently connect said other terminal of said power source via said on-olf switch to the other terminal of said motor over decreasing intervals of time, which intervals of time are independent of player control.

2. A chance device as recited in claim 1 wherein said player operated motor control switch means for intermittently connecting said motor in circuit with said power source comprises a first resilient cantilevered contact,

a second resilient cantilevered contact normally spaced from said first resilient contact, and

means for setting said first resilient contact into free vibration whereby it makes intermittent contact with said second resilient contact.

3. A chance device as recited in claim 2 wherein said switch means includes a player depressible button and said setting means comprises a magnet and a mass of ferrous material, one secured to said player depressible push button, and the other to said first resilient contact, depression of said push button bringing said magnet and mass in proximity whereby they are magnetically drawn together thereby to flex said first resilient contact, said button when released separating said magnet and mass to allow said first resilient contact to vibrate toward and away from said second resilient contact.

4. A chance device as recited in claim 2 further comprising a second plurality of stationary contacts located alternately with said first plurality of contacts, and means common to all of said second plurality of contacts connected to said other motor terminal whereby said motor is periodically connected to said power source through said rotary contact and said second plurality of contacts, said common connection means serving to assure that said motor will move said rotary contact to one of said first plurality of stationary contacts when said first resilient contact stops vibrating.

5. A chance device as recited in claim 4 wherein said common connection means includes a resistance element to limit the current to the motor when said wiper is on one of said second plurality of contacts.

6. A chance device as recited in claim 4 wherein said first and second plurality of contacts are in the form of a printed circuit.

7. A chance device as recited in claim 6 wherein said lights are secured in adisplay panel in random order relative to said first stationary contacts so that they appear to be energized in random order, wherein said motor is secured to and beneath said printed circuit with its shaft extending therethrough, and wherein said rotary contact is secured directly to said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,018 2/1944 Solinski. 2,854,542 9/1958 Boysen et al 33588 3,193,642 7/1965 Liesse 335-205 X 3,272,511 9/1966 Zarich 273141 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. ARNOLD W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 335-205, 90 

